Kevin Haas covers the city of Rockford and the Rockford Park District.

Forest preserve continues to work on deal for former Rep. Dave Winters' land

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By Kevin Haas

Kevin Haas covers the city of Rockford and the Rockford Park District. This blog is the place to find out about whatís going on with those governments, their latest projects/proposals and decisions on how they spend your tax dollars.

SHIRLAND — The Winnebago County Forest Preserve District will continue negotiations in hopes of landing a deal to purchase a vast wetland owned by former state Rep. Dave Winters.Commissioners had a deal to buy the land earlier this year, but it fell through because Winters couldn't get the rezoning he needed to sell the plot of land in mind. Read the background on that and why the district wants the land here.Commissioners met behind closed doors over the lunch hour today apparently to discuss a potential new deal to buy the 500-acre property at the confluence of the Sugar and Pecatonica rivers.State law allows public officials to meet in closed session for matters of land acquisition. When the meeting opened up to the public, commissioners voted in favor of allowing staff to continue to hash out a deal with Dave and Kathy Winters. The vote was 5-1 with Cheryl Maggio voting against. Randy Olson was not at the meeting.Commissioners will not discuss the potential deal while negotiations are ongoing.The motion the board approved says the district will not use any tax dollars to purchase the property. The district would use donations and grants from private foundations to buy it.President Judy Barnard said she hopes the board will have a decision about the property at the board's next meeting Nov. 20 or at the December monthly meeting.For more on this topic, read:"Chuck Sweeny: It's logical to buy retired pol's swampland""Readers have mixed views pol's land"